Readers share tips and tricks for storing green tomatoes and keeping them longer.

“We got late blight and lost many plants.” This was a familiar refrain among comments from the blight-stricken New England and Maritime Canada region, but we also received reports of ‘Juliet’ and ‘Super Sweet 100’ putting up valiant fights. As for late blight, a couple of respondents suggested prayer and patience, noting that enough cool rain will melt down the finest tomato.

Slicer Tomatoes

1. ‘Brandywine’
2. ‘Early Girl’
3. ‘Beefsteak’

Also: ‘Big Boy,’ ‘Celebrity,’ ‘Cherokee Purple’

Cherry Tomatoes

1. ‘Sungold’
2. ‘Super Sweet 100’
3. ‘Black Cherry’

Also: ‘Gold Nugget’

Paste/Canning

1. ‘Roma’
2. ‘Amish Paste’
3. ‘San Marzano’

Also: ‘Orange Banana,’ ‘Opalka’

Really Big Ones

1. ‘Brandywine’
2. ‘Big Boy’
3. ‘Beefsteak’

Also: ‘Mortgage Lifter,’ ‘Beefmaster’

Saladette/Pear

1. ‘Yellow Pear’
2. ‘Juliet’
3. ‘Flamme’

Also: ‘New Zealand Pink Pear’

Non-Reds

1. ‘Cherokee Purple’
2. ‘Black Krim’
3. ‘Green Zebra’

Also: ‘Pineapple,’ ‘Lemon Boy’

Neighborly Advice

“I’m torn between the disease resistance and high yield of hybrids versus the beauty, variety and seed-saving option of heirlooms. I settle for a little bit of both.”

Kelly Pillsbury
Westport, Massachusetts

“I’ve experimented with a variety of tomatoes, but, for our short growing season, I find that cherry tomatoes reliably produce ripe tomatoes before frost, and all varieties are tasty. I use them in everything from sauce to sandwiches.”

Flora Johnson
Stewiacke, Nova Scotia

“Taste is very personal, so what I adore you may loathe. Flavor and productivity also vary due to seasonal conditions, so give a variety two or three growing seasons before deciding if it’s a keeper.”

Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant gardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens. Contact Barbara by visiting her website or finding her on Google+.

Remember "Legend" when you consider blight. I'm not a fan of chemicals but I've used "Serenade" with good results. It's getting very hard to grow good "Toms" here in Vestal as we've been getting lots of rain and the conditions are right for numerous tomatoe problems. My next step may be a greenhouse.

Jessica_20

1/21/2010 11:28:23 AM

I had great luck with the Super Sweet 100's last summer- no blight at all. I started with two organic seedlings and at the height of the harvest was getting 30 or so tomatoes a day.

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